This invention relates to a method and apparatus to remove the accumulated liquids from hydrocarbon producing wells for the purpose of improving production. Many hydrocarbon producing wells produce, along with the gas, liquids such as water, oil and condensate. A mixture of these fluids flows from the producing formation through casing or tubing to surface facilities. The liquid is entrained as droplets in the gas flow. Part of this entrained liquid will drop out of the flow due to insufficient velocity of the gas and will accumulate in the wellbore. Ultimately this liquid will build up to a height which will exert a hydrostatic pressure which may be large enough to reduce the production rate or completely stop production of the hydrocarbons. This condition is referred to as "well loading".
It is therefore advantageous to periodically remove or reduce the accumulated liquid from producing wells. By removing the liquid which has accumulated in the well, the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the accumulated liquid against the producing formation pressure will be reduced. Thus the fluid from the formation will enter the wellbore at much higher velocity and the gas will carry the produced liquids to the surface more effectively.